1. Technical Field
This invention relates to gun barrel holders and, more particularly, to an adaptable spare gun barrel hanging assembly for safely holding a variety of spare gun barrels at a substantially stable position.
2. Prior Art
In this day and age there is, unfortunately, the ever increasing need for an individual to store a loaded handgun at his home so as to deter and prevent home burglaries and other such crimes where the confines of a person's home is breached by an individual or individuals having criminal intentions. Thus, there is a rapidly growing need for a container which enables the safe storage of a loaded handgun at a residence and yet does not allow for access thereto by a child or any other person not authorized to enter the same. In addition, many guns today include spare barrels that should advantageously be stored with the appropriate gun. Such barrels are very expensive and are often scratched or otherwise damaged when stored at the bottom of a gun cabinet. It would therefore be advantageous to develop a means for storing a gun barrel within a gun cabinet where it will be protected from storage damage while also staying out of the hands of children. While the prior art includes and discloses a number of containers which are lockable and intended for use with a loaded handgun, none of these devices provides an effective means for storing and protecting expensive gun barrels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,787 to McMaster discloses a gun storage and rapid removal mount for securely retaining a shotgun or the like against unauthorized removal with the mount providing for rapid removal by authorized persons. It is comprised of a trigger guard cup and a forward lock clamp. The lock clamp engages the barrel and a magazine tube just forward of the shotgun receiver to prevent forward motion of the shotgun in the mount. The trigger guard cup prevents rearward motion. The lock clamp is both lock- and spring-retained. When its lock is released, the gun can be rotated out of the clamp against spring force. The spring also permits reinsertion of the shotgun into position against the spring force. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not designed as a hanging apparatus for storage in various cabinets, closets or cupboards.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,134 to Klein discloses a gun rack particularly adapted for mounting a shotgun within the passenger compartment of an automobile, positioned muzzle down alongside the driver's seat. The gun rack includes an elongated frame member supported at its rear by a pair of support legs, which are independently adjustable in length and angle. Each leg is fastened to the floor in a lowered position to establish the muzzle down position of the mounted shotgun. Rotatably adjustable hinges are located at the ends of each leg and the forward end of the frame, together with the adjustability of the legs, enable mounting to the widely varying transmission tunnels and floor contours of different automotive models. The barrel of the shotgun is received in an element carried by the rack in a position above the forward end of the frame, which position is adjustable lengthwise to accommodate different shotgun barrel lengths. The element may take the form of a plug received within the bore of the shotgun, or a partially cylindrically shaped seat receiving the outside diameter of the forward end of the gun barrel. Also, an adjustable position trigger shroud is provided surrounding the trigger region of a shotgun disposed in the rack to prevent accidental discharge. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not designed to store many different types of gun barrels, including barrels of different gauges and calibers.
Accordingly, the present invention is disclosed in order to overcome the above noted shortcomings. The spare gun barrel hanging assembly is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, and designed for safely holding an existing spare gun barrel at a substantially stable position. The assembly is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use.